Author: john_velis

(12/18/2024) Last evening, Senator John C. Velis (D-Westfield) and other House and Senate members of the conference committee reached a final agreement on a compromise Substance Use Disorder bill that the Legislature will take up this week. An Act relative to treatments and coverage for substance use disorder and recovery coach licensure aims to reduce overdoses in the Commonwealth and expand access to substance use recovery programs in communities throughout the state.

“From the onset of my appointment as Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Mental Health, Substance Use, and Recovery, I made it explicitly clear that one of my top priorities was to send comprehensive pieces of legislation to the Governor that will help keep people alive and make quality recovery resources easily accessible,” shared Senator Velis, who was one of the six legislative negotiators for the final legislation. “The unfortunate truth is that most people in our Commonwealth know someone who is struggling or has struggled with addiction, and it is absolutely heartbreaking how many loved ones we continue to lose to this disease. Not only does this legislation bolster access to life saving overdose reversal tools but it also expands access to recovery coaches, vital providers who truly understand what it is like to navigate recovery because of their lived experiences. I am beyond grateful to all my colleagues who have worked on this legislation and worked through this collaborative process to reach this important compromise.”

The bill includes provisions to expand access to life saving overdose reversal treatments, bolster non opioid pain medications, and strengthen treatment for residents in recovery including the following:

• Mandates that insurance providers cover opioid reversal drugs. This bill mandates that all health plans cover emergency opioid antagonists (EOAs)—opioid reversal drugs such as naloxone and Narcan—without cost-sharing or prior authorization.
• Updates insurance requirements for non-opioid pain treatment. The bill updates requirements for insurance providers to ensure adequate coverage and access to pain management services without prior authorization, including non-opioid alternatives to pain treatment.
• Mandates insurance coverage for recovery coaches. The bill mandates all health plans cover recovery coach services without cost-sharing or prior authorization at no less than MassHealth rates, regardless of the setting in which the services are provided.
• Establishes recovery coaching licensure. This legislation establishes recovery coach licensing and oversight within DPH and codifies the practice of recovery coaching to ensure qualifications, proper use of titles, and compliance with DPH regulations. It also directs BSAS to study and report on barriers to certification, credentialing, and other employment and practice requirements for recovery coaches, as well as establish a peer support program for recovery coaches and their employers that includes mentorship, technical assistance, and other resources.
• Reporting on alcohol- and drug-free housing. The legislation directs DPH to study and report findings to the Legislature on alcohol- and drug-free housing, also known as sober homes, including the safety and recovery of sober home residents in the Commonwealth.
• Expands non-opioid pain treatment training. The legislation expands required prescriber training to include acute and chronic pain treatment, incorporating available and appropriate non-opioid alternatives. It also requires pharmacists dispensing opioids to distribute printed educational materials on non-opioid alternatives to pain treatment as issued by the Department of Public Health (DPH).
• Boosts anti-discrimination protections for people with substance use disorder. This legislation clarifies DPH authority to enforce anti-discrimination protections for people with SUD who are covered by public health insurance. It prohibits discrimination against those lawfully possessing or taking medication for opioid-related SUD treatment as prescribed. It also directs the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) to examine and then report to the Legislature—including any recommendations or necessary legislative or regulatory changes—on the disparate impacts of SUD, overdoses, overdose deaths, and clinical outcomes for members of historically marginalized communities.
• Supports Harm Reduction Organizations. This bill ensures that public health and harm reduction organizations are protected from civil or criminal liability and professional disciplinary actions if they are providing drug checking services in good faith, and prohibits medical malpractice insurers from discriminating against health care practitioners who provide harm reduction services.

Both the Senate and House plan to take up the final legislation on Thursday December 19th, and Senator Velis noted that he hopes that Governor Healey will promptly sign the bill into law before the end of the legislation on December 31st .

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Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving spent with family and friends this week. This year I had a lot to be thankful for including my loving family, hardworking staff, and the opportunity to continue to serve the Hampden and Hampshire district in the MA Senate next session!

Ahead of Thanksgiving I was at the State House to join Governor Healey and Secretary Reidy in honoring Trooper TJ Cusack of Agawam and Trooper Ryan Costello of Holyoke for their bravery at the 41st Annual George L. Hanna Memorial Award Ceremony. The Hanna Awards are the highest and most prestigious awards bestowed upon those in law enforcement, recognizing the bravery of officers who have gone above and beyond the call of duty and have put their own lives at risk to protect our communities. I am beyond grateful to Trooper Cusack and Trooper Costello for their acts of heroism. To all those in law enforcement, thank you for all do to keep our communities safe each day!

As many of you might know, today is Small Business Saturday! This is a great opportunity to support the local businesses who are invested in our communities as you are checking off items on your holiday shopping lists. While I always make it a priority to shop from local businesses throughout the year, I know I will absolutely be popping into a few stores owned by our friends and neighbors today.

Speaking of the holiday season, some of my routine office hours have been moved around in the month of December to accommodate all the different holidays that we will be celebrating. Next week, my team is hosting office hours at the Agawam Council on Aging at 11:00AM to 12:00PM on Monday December 2nd and at the Russell Council on Aging on Tuesday December 3rd at 11:30AM to 12:30PM.

If you are unable to make office hours or if you have any questions about the changes to some community’s regularly scheduled office hours this month please do not hesitate to contact me by email , john.velis@masenate.gov, by phone, (413) 527-3920, and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com.

Happy Holidays!

John Velis

(Westfield – 11/21/2024) Following the release of MassINC Policy Center’s report last week on the shortage of housing units in Gateway Cities, Senator John C. Velis (D-Westfield) today highlighted the integral way that investments and housing development in Gateway Cities can alleviate the Commonwealth’s housing crisis. The study notes that the 26 Gateway Cities in Massachusetts “need to collectively build 83,000 new housing units over the next decade – double their pace of production over the last 10 years – in order to bring supply and demand into balance and stabilize prices.”

“I am incredibly proud to represent 3 Gateway Cities in Chicopee, Holyoke, and Westfield, and one of the things you learn representing Gateway Cities is how difficult it can be to spur housing development in these cities compared to the rest of the state,” said Senator Velis, who is the only Western Massachusetts Senator on the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Housing. “For decades our Commonwealth has depended on Gateway Cities to provide much of the affordable housing stock in our state, but that doesn’t come without significant challenges, especially as the cost of development goes up. This report emphasizes the need to rethink how we invest and go about housing production in our Gateway Cities, especially in Western Massachusetts. This doesn’t just need to happen for the sake of Gateway Cities and their residents themselves, it needs to happen for the sake of our entire Commonwealth.”

The report from MassINC notes that Gateway Cities face unique challenges in housing growth, and highlights that “while property values in these communities have steadily increased, the cost of constructing and operating new rental units remains much higher than the rental income such housing will generate”. This is especially true in Western Massachusetts, where the report notes that “the cost of building a new rental unit in Chicopee, Holyoke, and Springfield is nearly $300,000 more than the rental will support”.

Recommendations from the report include both state and local action to increase housing production in Gateway Cities. This includes adopting more development-friendly local zoning

regulations, establishing financing subsidies to incentivize private development, and increasing funding at the state level for rehabbing vacant and blighted properties.

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Hello everyone,

I hope you are doing well and had a meaningful Veterans Day! With the temperatures quickly dropping I would like to remind you all that my office is available to assist with applications for heating assistance.

This year I had the honor of traveling across our district to celebrate Veterans Day with our community. From ceremonies in Westfield and Agawam to delivering thoughtful letters from local students to the residents at the Veterans Home in Holyoke, I am always so moved by how our community comes together to support our local veterans. To my fellow veterans, thank you for your service and for everything that you do!

On Tuesday, I joined the Westfield Police Commission in celebration of Chief Valliere’s retirement after 40 years of dedicated service to our community. I truly appreciate all the times the Chief picked up the phone to help me better understand the difficult and complex work that our local law enforcement does each day to keep our communities safe. Congratulations Chief!

Wednesday marked a special anniversary for the Holyoke Veterans Treatment Court, which celebrated its 80^th program graduate.  Veterans’ Treatment Courts are designed to handle certain low-level criminal cases involving defendants with military service. After pleading guilty, Veterans can be referred to Treatment Courts for intensive treatment including Vet to Vet mentorship, VA services, and more. It is truly incredible to hear firsthand how this program has changed so many lives over the last 10 years.

Later that day, I joined the City of Chicopee for a Veteran Town Hall to discuss the ways that the HERO Act expands services and resources for veterans, active-duty service members, and military families. I am grateful to the City of Chicopee and Veteran Service Officer Stephanie Shaw for organizing this important forum and inviting me to speak!

On Friday, I met with Agawam Public Schools and Boston Children’s Hospital to check in on the rollout of a new pilot program addressing youth mental health. With students reporting increasing mental health challenges, this program connects students in need with support right from their schools. I was proud to help secure funding for this program in last year’s budget following conversations with local youth during my “Let’s Talk About Mental Health” tour.

This week, I held office hours at the Chicopee and West Springfield COAs. Next week, Team Velis will be hosting office hours on Tuesday from 10:30-11:30 a.m. at the Easthampton COA and on Wednesday from 10:00-11:00 a.m. at the Holyoke COA.

If you can’t make it in person, feel free to reach out anytime at john.velis@masenate.gov or by phone at (413) 572-3920. You can also stay updated by signing up for my newsletter at senatorjohnvelis.com.

Best,

John

(11/11/2024) Today, Senator John C. Velis delivered letters from local students in the Hampden and Hampshire District to residents at the Veterans’ Home in Holyoke in honor of Veterans Day. This marks the fifth consecutive year that Velis has organized this initiative with over 20 different schools from Westfield, Agawam, West Springfield, and other communities participating.

“What began as an effort to find a way for our community to safely share our appreciation with Veterans at the Home during the COVID-19 pandemic, when visitation at the Home was extremely limited, has now become an annual tradition that the Home’s residents, and local teachers and students throughout our community, look forward to each year,” shared Senator John C. Velis, who is a Veteran himself. “One of my favorite things about this project, apart from the smiles that it brings to the residents, is the opportunity that it provides for our local students to learn and reflect on the sacrifices that these men and women have each made to protect our nation and the freedoms we hold dear.”

Velis shared that student of all ages, from pre-school all through high school, helped create over 1,000 letters, cards, and even a large American flag sign for the residents of the Home this year. Additional letters from students will be shared by Senator Velis with the American Red Cross to be included in care packages sent to troops overseas.

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Hello everyone, 

Before jumping into all of the activity around the district this week I want to share how grateful I am to have been re-elected this Tuesday  to serve as the State Senator of Hampden and Hampshire District. It’s an absolute honor and privilege to have the opportunity to continue to represent our district in the Massachusetts Senate! Thank you! 

This week we have had a lot to celebrate in and around our district. I kicked off Thursday over at Barnes Air National Guard Base to celebrate the ribbon cutting of the new “Minuteman Gate”. The new gate was relocated to be right along Route 10 and 202 as part of overall upgrades at the base as we prepare for the new F-35 Jets.  

Later that day I made my way over to the Holyoke Veterans’ Home where I joined Governor Healey, Secretary Santiago, Representative Duffy and many other local officials from around Western Massachusetts to celebrate a major milestone in the construction efforts of the new Home. With the iron work now completed ahead of schedule, it moves our community closer to finally achieving a new state of the art facility that is befitting of the service and sacrifices of our Commonwealth’s veterans. Constructed and designed to meet the changing medical needs and demographics of our veteran population, this new facility will bring new meaning to the Veterans Home in Holyoke’s mission of providing care with honor and dignity. I look forward to continuing to watch this construction take shape and the day that our veterans can finally call this new facility their home! 

This week my team and I also spent of time traveling to schools all around the district to begin collecting letters from students for the residents of the Veterans’ Home. What began as an idea to safely connect with residents of the Home during the pandemic has now became an annual tradition for my office. Our local students have done an excellent job writing such thoughtful and artistic letters and I can’t wait to share them with the residents on Monday afternoon.  

I rounded off the week over at Gateway Regional Middle School to speak with students from Russell and Montgomery about the importance of Veterans Day. Gatherings like these provide an incredible opportunity for students to hear from Veterans in their communities about their service and the sacrifices they have each made to protect our nation and the freedoms we hold dear. I also hope that this opportunity inspires and encourages the next generation to consider joining our armed services.  

This week my office hosted office hours in Agawam. Next week, we will be hosting office hours at the Chicopee COA on Tuesday November 12^th from 10:00AM to 11:00AM and in West Springfield on Tuesday November 13^th from 11:00am to 12:00PM. If you can’t make office hours, I can always be reached by email, john.velis@masenate.gov, by phone, (413) 572-3920, and you can find me online at senatorjohnvelis.com.   

Best, 

John Velis